Men's Cross Country

Three Pioneers Earn All-East Honors at ECAC and IC4A

Nov 19, 2011

(Bronx, NY) - Three Sacred Heart athletes earned "All-East" honors for their top 25 finishes in the ECAC and IC4A University Division races today, leading the women's team to a 4th place overall finish, and the men to a 7th place team showing.

For the women, sophomore Brittney Lane blazed the challenging Van Cortlandt Park course in 18:22 to place third in a field of 215 competitors. Lane earned "All-East" honors for the first time in her career, while running the second fastest Van Cortlandt time in program history. Only Kimberly DeLoreto, who won the individual ECAC title in 17:59 in 2010, has placed higher in an ECAC Championship for Sacred Heart or run faster on the storied Van Cortlandt course. Lane also became the fifth woman in Sacred Heart history to earn "All-New England," "All-Northeast Conference," and "All-East" honors in the same season, joining an elite group including only Katie Wrinkle (2003), Katie Duffy (2005), Kathleen Henry (2006), and DeLoreto (2007, 2009 and 2010).

On the men's side, senior Jeffrey Lusignan and junior Christopher Connelly placed second and third, respectively, out of a field of 139 finishers in the IC4A University Division race. Lusignan set a new program record for the Van Cortlandt Park five-mile course of 25:39, while Connelly recorded the second fastest Van Cortlandt time in program annals of 25:45. Both surpassed the 26:06 clocking recorded by Brendan Rickert in the same championship last year. Lusignan and Connelly also topped Rickert's program-best 14th place finish in last year's IC4A meet. Lusignan, who placed 23rd a year ago, earned his second straight "All-East" honor, while Connelly picked up his first.

In addition, Lusignan closed out a stellar career by becoming the first man in program history to earn "All-New England," "All-Northeast Conference," and "All-East" honors in the same season.

In the team competition, the women placed fourth out of 22 complete teams, to better last year's seventh place team finish. Backing up Lane's performance with a strong pack, Sacred Heart's top eight finishers all ran 19:42 or faster on the difficult course. Never before have eight Pioneer women run under 20 minutes at Van Cortlandt Park on the same day.

3) Brittney Lane – 18:22 (Van Cortlandt Park best)

37) Brittany Heninger – 19:15

43) Emma Bolduc – 19:19 (overall personal best)

46) Michelle Navarro – 19:21 (Van Cortlandt Park best)

47) Brittany Llobell – 19:21

66) Brianna Castrogivanni – 19:36 (Van Cortlandt Park best)

68) Alyssa Selmquist – 19:38 (Van Cortlandt Park best)

74) Teresa Gagliostro – 19:42 (Van Cortlandt Park best)

Decimated by injury and illness, the Sacred Heart men limped into today's IC4A University Division race, with only five athletes healthy enough to toe the starting line. Nevertheless, the men banded together, with each running a Van Cortlandt Park best, to place seventh in a field of 16 complete teams. Backing up Lusignan and Connelly, freshman Aleksandr Morin fell just short of earning "All-East" honors himself, placing 31st overall, as the men equaled their 2010 seventh place team finish.

"It was great to end our season on such a high note," said Head Coach Christian Morrison. "Both teams performed really well, and Jeff, Chris, and Brittney Lane…. What can I say? Awesome! I think that about sums it up."